I believe. In Kentucky. In the hope of improving the American strain with Asiatic seed. he wrote: I first became informed of the existence of a rice which would grow In uplands without any more water than the common rains by reading a book of M. de Poivre. who had been governor of the Isle of France. who mentions it as growing there and all along the coast of Africa successfully. and as having been Introduced from Cochin China. I was at that time (17841789) in France. and there happening to be there a prince of Cochin China. on his travels. and then returning home. I obtained his promise to send me some.